Twelve years have passed since the defeat of the Church of Light.

After his marriage to Amerilladen, with the support of the allied kingdoms and Cat Blacken, Eric quickly changed up many of the nobles of Goun. Like the Barony that Reno targeted, Nobles who saw value in their people and not slaves were raised to higher ranks and given larger domains. The ones who did not support him were demoted, and those involved in illegal activities were imprisoned and stripped of their positions.

With the assistance of the newly raised nobles, King Eric Bison rapidly transitioned a majority of slaves back to citizens. The only slaves that he left collared were hardened criminals like ones who had committed murder or rape. Debt slaves were changed into contractual serfs who had several protections for them to ensure they were treated humanely while they worked to pay off their debts, except those who had additional crimes like Reno. The change was difficult for the citizens of Goun, making the first two years of his rule difficult, but with his family and friends, they were able to keep things under control.

Once Eric firmly established himself as the new ruler of Goun, he announced a change of name to the nation. King Eric proclaimed that Goun will now be known to the world as the Kingdom of Luna in honor of his fallen little sister. When Luna heard of what he had done, she cried so much she almost went blind with happiness.

Under the advisement of his council, the Arena was permitted to continue operation with several changes. The first change was that slaves were not allowed to participate in any matches. Second, no matches were allowed to be deathmatches without the consent of all participants. This was always to be verified via paperwork and an interview with each person while under the scrutiny of lie detection. In addition, deathmatches were strictly forbidden from being made more enticing by increasing pay or bonuses, making the pay as much as a regular match. With the limitations and rules, there had only been six cases of death matches over the twelve years. The people, apprehensive at first, eventually came to prefer the regular battles as they could cheer on their favorite fighters even longer, making the Arena a great success and tourist sight.

Lady Yvenfragallia often visited with her children Luuk and Andal. Eric consulted her often on how she ran her undersea palace and created an education system in his country. It became mandatory for all citizens to receive primary education. They would learn basic mathematics, history, laws, coin values, and several other necessities that would make the lives of the citizens easier. With Lady Yven's assistance, several specialized academies were established for citizens to attend as well. Agriculture, Mercantile, Trade Skills, Engineering, Education, Maritime, Adventuring, Law, and several over paths were made available. Over the twelve years, the benefits of increased education bore fruit around the seventh year of his rule, when a generation of teenagers joined the labor force. The project's success led other countries worldwide to establish copies of the system by hiring educators from the Kingdom of Luna.

Several other joyous events occurred outside of the Kingdom of Luna as well.

Months after their victory, Queen Delvirra, like her sister Rorroco, gave birth to twins as well. But her children were fraternal, one a boy and the other a girl. The King of Dunlap was so over joyous that he not only announced to every one of the city of Dunlap by running about, he went as far as using the international emergency communication crystal to contact other nations of the good news. The King would have gone farther, but the Queen knocked him unconscious and shackled him to herself for a week until he calmed down.

By the second year after the defeat of the Pope, King Alan and Queen Delenia had their first child. They chose to name their son after Eric in thanks for his part in them being together.

The young King of Merluka got engaged to Princess Lindi of Dunlap, much to the chagrin of the Dunlap Royal Family men in the third year, getting married early in the fourth. The King of Dunlap cried tears of blood. By the eighth year, they had their first child, who they named after his late father.

As for the gods, many of them visited Eric inside his new Haven. The triplets that were sad about Eric leaving the divine realm loved hanging out with Leros, Ashe, and Ria. Aphrodite, Micah, and Rorroco would have quite a bit of difficulty separating them when it was time for them to return home.

Hephaestus would often come to see Eric and get into various projects.

Luna would frequent the Haven when she was not tied up in her godly duties. Eric and the others were happy to hear that Luna received a promotion thanks to her efforts... and mistakes... making her a full-fledged goddess.

Eric's family was a bit saddened, though, because, over the twelve-year period, they did not see the Senior Goddess again, but she would write them cute little notes.

Elder Oribaba would stop in every so often to check in on Eric and his family to share snacks.

With the curse being removed, Lystmour found himself with too much time on his hands after removing any remaining traces and decided he would wander the world in disguise to get caught up on many world developments he had missed.

Eric's life as a king was busy, but as things began to steady out, he would get a letter from an old acquaintance that would further change his life.

King Eric sat in an office in his Haven, running through various pieces of paperwork along with his steward Al, the cat beast-kin, and the Ex-Hero, Rachel, who became his clerical assistant.

"Thank you, Al, Rachel." He thanked them as he set down his pen, finishing his work for the day.

"You are very welcome, your majesty." Al said, his ears and tail flipping happily while his face remained neutral.

"I am happy to work for you, your majesty. You are our hero." Rachel added with a bright smile.

Some of the Ex-Heroes went their separate ways, but several continued to serve under Eric in various capacities. Rachel's brother had a talent for cooking and was the personal chef of the Bison royal family. The five women who served as the Pope's private guards became servants in the castle. Other's started business ventures in the kingdom, with the support of Eric, while a couple served as crew members of a new transport airship. One of the major businesses of the Kingdom of Luna was the construction and selling of airships. Eric gifted small airships to each ruling government so that the rulers could meet more easily.

"Has Wanda been behaving herself?" He asked, curious to know.

"She has your majesty. Since the third Queen introduced her to the best elven spell caster, she has been rather content in her married life." Al replied in his usual flat manner.

"Eight years ago, I would not have imagined you coming to serve me along with Douglas and Ella. You have been a true boon for us during our most troubling time." Eric said with a smile, resting his cheek into his fist.

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"Your words are too kind, your majesty." Al bowed, his tail flipping about happily.

"Father!" A young boy around thirteen years of age enters the room while hiding something behind his back.

"Leros! What do you have for me today?" Eric stood and moved over to meet his son.

"I am not disturbing you am I?" Leros asked innocently.

"Not at all, my son. I finished all my work not long ago." Eric replied warmly as Leros approached him.

"Heh, here it is!" Leros held out a small mechanical clock with a bright smile.

Eric took it and looked the clock over.

"Hmm, very good. You finished the assembly project I gave you early. Well done, Leros." He patted his son's shoulder proudly.

"Do I get to use the forge now?!" Leros asked excitedly.

Eric sighed, "Fine, but only when you are working with me. Understand?"

Leros hugged his father happily.

Outside the workshop, a young woman with golden hair and fancy dress stopped two giant, white-haired twin girls outside the building.

"What were you doing in there, Ria, Ashe?" The golden woman asked sternly but lovingly.

Ria shifted back and forth guiltily.

"N-nothing." Ria responded, shifting her weight nervously.

"Come now, what does father say about lying?" The golden woman asked knowingly.

"Better to tell the truth and take your just punishment than to lie and see it tripled...." Ria responded, her shoulders slouching.

"Correct. Now, what did you two do?" The golden woman asked once more.

Ria admitted to knocking over a rack of material in the workshop accidentally while she and Ashe were playing.

“We’re sorry big sis Yilan.” The twin girls bowed their heads apologetically.

"It is not me who you should apologize to. That would be father. But come along, I will help the two of you fix the shelf and put everything back where it should be. After, I will go with you to apologize to father."

The twins nodded and followed Yilan into the workshop.

Ruby and her best friend Sherry, both of whom have grown into fine women, were outside the Haven on their way back from a diplomatic mission to Obai on the airship Ruby named the Winged Rabbit.

"I can't wait to get back home! I miss my little siblings' soooooo much!" Ruby said cheerily as she flew the ship.

"I heard that Lady Yven came to Luna again. I have a feeling you might be getting a fourth mother." Sherry snorted as she tried to tease her friend.

"Really? I think I heard big sis Roro mentioned something about her visions involving her. But I can't remember what she said now…." Ruby said, closing her eyes, trying to remember, but merely shrugged her shoulders corrected their course toward home.

In the greenhouse, Queen Ami, who was wearing a set of coveralls, had just finished planting some new crops for their household at the protest of their servants.

"Your majesty! Please leave this to us!" They cried.

"Perish the thought. Who better to tend nature than an elf! Besides, I find this relaxing, so allow me to do as I please." She huffed at their protests.

"B-b-but what of the king!?" A butler asked.

"I asked him, and he approved my request. If he is fine with me doing this as my hobby, then you should not protest me doing this." She stated, the servants backed down after that.

"Mommy!" A little elf girl rushed up and embraced Queen Ami's leg.

"Carmilla! You found me!" The Queen knelt down and nuzzled her daughter.

"Mommy, you are covered in dirt." Carmilla commented.

"That I am. Would you like to take a bath with mommy?" Queen Ami asked.

"Yay!" Carmilla cheered happily.

The mother and daughter arrived at the hot spring after washing themselves in the bathhouse area to find Queen Micah and Queen Rorroco relaxing in the water. Micah showed signs of being in the early stages of pregnancy.

"Oh, sister, welcome." Micah called out.

"Aunties!" Carmilla swam over and gave her and Rorroco hugs.

"Hello, sisters. I feel like I find the two of you here the most." Ami entered the water, holding onto her daughter, who swam back to her.

"Well, this place is the best place to relax. Not to mention it kind of became a habit with the last Haven. Letting any stress of banquets, tea parties, flower parties, or other stressful 'noble' events melt away." Rorroco complained, abhorring all the etiquette.

"Hohohoh. Seems you still have yet to adjust to such things. It really is just a mental game of chess." Ami smiled in amusement.

"Easy for you to say. You and Micah have little issue with it." Rorroco grumbled.

Micah and Ami shared a resigned smile.

"Mother, aunt Roro, aunt Ami." Leros and Eric entered the hot spring area, followed by Ashe, Ria, and Yilan.

"Has sister Ruby not returned yet, father?" Yilan asked.

"She is. I heard Ruby is just parking the Winged Rabbit on the castle grounds." Eric said, sitting by his queens.

Eric hung his head backward with his eyes closed.

"Are you mayhaps still bitter over being made a king, my love?" Ami asked with a bit of concern.

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "Not really. It is still a huge pain maintaining a kingdom and dealing with nobles. I really have to thank and curse you and Micah for teaching me how to navigate the mess that nobles are. But, overall, I feel like I have done a lot for this world. Really, all of you make this job tolerable, at least. You are my lighthouse in a chaotic ocean." He said with a warm smile to them all.

"I'm home!" Ruby hopped and did a cannonball into the deep end of the hot spring where Rorroco was lounging.

"Ruby!" Rorroco complained, pulling the wet rabbit out of the water.

"Heheheh, hi, big sis." Rorroco set Ruby in the shallow area where her siblings welcomed her.

"Welcome back, Ruby. You are banned from doing cannonballs into the hot spring." Eric said with a wry smile.

Ruby laughed. "Sorry, Papa."

"How did things go?" Eric asked.

"They accepted the trade agreement. Where is big sis Luna?" Ruby looked about for the goddess.

"Great, well done, Ruby. Luna ran away since I found out the reason why I don't seem to be getting older." He patted her head, remembering the terrified look on Luna's face when he found out he was immortal.

Laura, the head maid of the castle, entered the hot spring area.

"Your majesty." Laura bowed.

"Yes, Laura?" Eric asked.

"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes." She said.

They thanked her for the information, and she left the area.

They finished their meal when Douglas approached.

"Douglas, where were you? You missed dinner." Eric commented.

"Sorry, your majesty, we received a strange sealed letter for you with a seal I don't recognize at all. I wanted to see if you may know it." Douglas handed the letter over to him.

Strange, I don't recognize this. A pentagram with a skull and rose in it?

"I do not know this symbol."

Ella arrived in the Haven and approached.

"Ah, there you are, dearest. Do you know this seal?" Douglas asked her.

Ella took the letter and took a close look at the seal. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes as if wondering she saw correctly.

"Oh, dear. Your majesty! I believe this is an invitation!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"An invitation? To what? From who?" Eric asked.

"The Banquet of Eternal Twilight, hosted by Lord Alexander Tulsen." She responded.

Tulsen?! That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

Taking the letter, he opened it.

"What is the Banquet of Eternal Twilight?" He asked as he pulled out two pieces of paper.

"An exclusive event! My great-grandmother was lucky enough to be invited when she was still quite young! From her stories, it is a grand banquet with people from all kinds of walks of life. Held in a location that is blanketed in eternal nightfall! The sky is said to be filled with so many stars that it brightens the night!" Ella seemed to be regressing into a young woman in her excitement.

Eric turned and read the letter.

Hello dear friend, King Eric Bison,

I know it's a little late, but congratulations on saving your world! I heard that you earned a kingdom as a reward. My condolences. I know how much of a pain it is to rule a kingdom. Anyway, the second page has two magic circles imprinted on it. The small one in the corner will bind the invitation to you so you can summon it to you at any point in time. Also, it's indestructible. The large circle will not activate until the timer in the bottom corner reaches zero. You are allowed to have three guests out with you at any time. Any more than that, they will be put into solitude until the end of the banquet. Remember, I know about your Haven. I hope to see you there because I think you are ready to learn now.

Signed,

Lord Alexander Tulsen

Eric finished going over the letter.

"You know Alexander Tulsen, my love?" Ami asked with fearful surprise in her voice.

"Yes, he helped me quite a bit in the past." He replied, trying to calm her fear.

"We're going, right Papa!?" Ruby asked excitedly.

He smiled at his family. "Yeah. We're going."

His family cheered as he looked down at the timer.

A few weeks from now. I look forward to it.

Eric and his family would attend the Banquet of Eternal Twilight, but the truth they learn will continue in another story…